1) Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for manufacturing or repairing composite structures, and more particularly, to systems and methods for mapping or monitoring the thermal profile of a composite structure during the curing process.
2) Description of Related Art
Composite structures may be used in a wide variety of applications, including in the manufacture of aircraft, spacecraft, rotorcraft, watercraft, automobiles, and other vehicles and structures, due to their high strength-to-weight ratios, corrosion resistance and other favorable properties. In particular, in aircraft construction, composite structures may be used to form the tail sections, wings, fuselage and other component parts of the aircraft.
During manufacturing of composite structures or parts, such as composite aircraft structures or parts, it is important to understand and control a thermal profile and a uniform temperature distribution over an entire area of the composite structure or part. If adjacent regions in the composite structure or part heat or cure at different rates, the resin properties may differ between those regions, potentially leading to built-in cure stresses, nonuniform consolidation and sub-optimal properties.
Known systems and methods for monitoring the thermal profile of a composite structure or part during curing of early iterations of the composite structure or part and tooling exist. However, such known systems and methods may require significant effort, cost and time in order to optimize both the composite structure or part design and the tool design.
One such known method to monitor a thermal profile of a composite structure or part includes the use of thermocouples located on or implanted in the composite part or tool to monitor temperature. However, the thermocouples may only measure the temperature at specific point locations and may not measure out-of-range temperature information at other locations. Moreover, multiple thermocouples may be required on large or complex parts, and may result in increased time, labor and difficulty to install. In addition, the thermocouples typically remain on the composite structure or part during manufacturing and are removed after manufacturing. This may produce mark-off, such as resin pockets, resin “bumps”, wrinkles, or geometry issues, on the resulting manufactured structure or part. Further, the thermocouples may have less than desired reliability, if the thermocouples do not work properly or if they experience wire breakage.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved system and method for mapping or monitoring a thermal profile of a composite structure or part during the curing process in the manufacture or repair of the composite structure or part, that provide advantages over known systems and methods.
In addition, a Thermal Protection System (TPS), such as insulation blankets, may be used to insulate propulsion system structures or parts, such as the inner walls of an engine cowling or cover, that may be exposed to high temperatures and high heat (e.g., greater than 250° F. (degrees Fahrenheit)). When high heat penetrates the TPS, the TPS may not function properly, or as designed, and may result in service issues.
To monitor the TPS, known systems and methods exist that use multiple thermocouples mounted at various locations on a composite structure or part to measure temperatures at the various locations during flight testing, ground testing, and/or in-service monitoring. However, with such known systems and methods, the thermocouples may only measure the temperatures at specific point locations and may not measure out-of-range temperature information at other locations. Coverage depends upon how many thermocouples are used, and it may be difficult or impractical to provide full coverage temperature monitoring and thermal mapping using only thermocouples. For example, positioning of multiple thermocouples on large or complex structures or parts may result in increased time and labor to install. Moreover, removal of the thermocouples may produce mark-off, such as resin pockets, resin “bumps”, wrinkles, or geometry issues, on the resulting manufactured structure or part.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved system and method for monitoring a thermal environment of a composite structure or part during flight testing, ground testing, and/or in-service monitoring, that provide advantages over known systems and methods.